Not Alone
by MyMagentaPeach
Summary: Burt needs to see Kurt is okay after what happened with Blaine in New York. Two-shot FILLER 4x04, and Companion piece to 'Apart from your pieces left in me': Someone he had not dared to expect or ask but secretly hoped to drop everything for him is right there, … in the kitchen, stirring a pot – not that Kurt notices that, his eyes glued to the man alone.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Glee.

**A/N:**

Companion two-shot piece to **'Apart from your pieces left in me'**.

Missing Burt, and because I figure he would so do this, awesome as he is :) Could I have chosen a cheesier Klaine title? I seriously had to go back and check if I hadn't yet written a story with that title, because I know plently with it must already be out there. What do you know, I really hadn't.

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**Not Alone**

It is a long walk home, and the streets are cold and crowded on this clouded late autumn Friday afternoon, but really, Kurt could not care less.

'_Rachel is gone for the weekend,' _he reminds himself, content with the certainty that as soon as he has turned two more corners and climbed those familiar stairs up to his apartment he will be _'… all alone. For two whole days, … alone.'_

It is a precious gift when you live with one Rachel Berry – as close as they are, Kurt really needs his time away from her, at least one weekend every other month, every month if he is honest.

Lucky for Kurt, Rachel's dads are the clingy kind, which has never surprised Kurt. But them insisting on paying for Rachel's regular trip home to Lima, Ohio, is a fortunate turn for Kurt too, and especially his sanity.

He is still breathing a little harder than usual when he pulls the door shut behind him, and not really because of the endless seeming flights of stairs he just conquered, once again.

A couple of deep breaths later, forehead still resting against the cool brick wall, his muscles finally begin to relax.

Only when he turns around he finds, surprised, he is not alone at all.

Someone he had not dared to expect or ask but secretly hoped to drop everything for him is right there, … in the kitchen, stirring a pot – not that Kurt notices that, his eyes glued to the man alone.

"Dad?"

Even before Kurt can put down his bag Burt is over from the kitchen and hugging him close, still wearing Kurt's cooking apron with the pale blue and vibrant red flower print.

"What …, what are you doing here, Dad?"

Holding on even tighter to his son, Burt murmurs softly, "Like you don't already know I miss you like crazy. Rachel let me in before she left."

"And ...? Besides that? Because I know for a fact you miss me every day, because you tell me every time we talk. Did something else happen?" Kurt still taken with surprise cannot help the question slipping out, although he already knows he might not like the answer.

Burt finally pulling back, a little, but not entirely letting go of Kurt, as if he already knows what the other half of his answer might do to his son, says as gently as he knows how, which is plenty, "I know. About you and Blaine. Finn told me."

Burt watches Kurt's brief attempt at a sad smile falter, hears the bag slip from Kurt's fingers and land with a thud on the floor, then a whisper, "Dad?"

"Kurt, please don't be upset with him, he was worried."

Kurt is just standing there, shaking his head, eyes glued to the floor as the tears start to come.

Burt pulls Kurt back deep into his arms, and for minutes they just stand and hold on to each other.

"I missed you too, Dad," Kurt says before he pulls out of the hug and his eyes wander towards the kitchen where something is still cooking on the stove. And Kurt murmurs, "I haven't been gone that long, have I?"

"What was that, Kiddo?" Burt asks following Kurt's eyes now. "Oh, no. I still can't cook. Carole insisted on me bringing your favorite foods in buckets, so you don't starve yourself out of … grief. I was just heating up …."

"Her pasta sauce with fresh garlic, ginger and rosemary?" Kurt asks eyes wide with hope.

Burt nods with a smile as he sees his son's eyes bright with something other than tears.

And just like that Burt is wrapped back into his son's arms.

Burt lets out a relieved breath as he hugs back. "I can stay till Tuesday …, if you like. I drove so I could bring some more of your stuff too, we said we would, after all, as soon as you found a place."

"Dad, just, wow, thank you, … I, I. This is so great. I can finally show you New York. We never got the chance before."

Burt is chuckling softly at Kurt's enthusiasm.

As Burt steps back into the kitchen area to finish up their food, putting some spaghetti into water already boiling, Kurt takes of his coat and places it carefully over the back of the couch before he follows his dad to the stove.

Dinner itself is a quite affair, comfortable, warm, warming.

Burt cannot stop smiling at Kurt's appetite, taking it as a good, _'... a very good sign.'  
_

Burt does not bring up the most urgent incentive for his visit until after a comfortable walk around Kurt's neighborhood - Burt insisting on seeing that part of New York first, _'To make sure I am safe,' _Kurt cannot shake the thought, nor the smile that comes with it.

They are sitting on the couch in the apartment and are sipping hot fruit juice, an old Hummel tradition to while away autumn and winter cold - a happy childhood memory for Kurt, and Burt figures Kurt needs those right now – when Burt clears his throat in a way that tells Kurt _'He is worried.'_

Burt sees his son's shoulders slump a little at the sound, and he feels a slight surge of guilt running through his body, knowing he just caused that.

'_I've got to know, Kurt, I just have got to know you … you, you won't ...' _Taking a deep breath, having done everything he knows to put his son at the greatest possible ease, Burt steels himself to do what he came here for, "Kurt?"

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A/N: Yes, what do you know, the storyline of their break-up and what it does to them both just won't leave me alone.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Yep, I just totally stopped there last chapter. Mean, I know. But I was sure the second chapter would come fast so, yeah, forgive me? Pretty please? *hopeful pout*

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**Not Alone**

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**Chapter 2:  
**

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"_I kind of feel like I'm gonna die," _Kurt's words reiterated by Finn echo in Burt's head, heavy, as they have kept doing, over and over, ever since he first heard his nervous step-son utter them two days ago.

"Kurt, ... Kiddo?" Burt tries again gently, as Kurt's eyes stay fixed to somewhere on the carpet, or couch, Burt cannot really tell.

"Yeah?" Kurt brings out in a thin whisper.

"Are you okay?" Burt asks as he blindly puts his only half empty mug down on the coffee table, unable to tear his eyes away from his son.

Kurt lets out a deep sigh and puts his mug down too, still not looking back at his dad as he retreats further into one corner of the couch, pulling his legs up to his chest, holding them tight with his arms, and resting his chin on his knees.

"Kurt?"

Hearing his name spoken again in the caring voice of his father, only even softer than before, all dams burst; and lowering his forehead to his knees Kurt begins to sob, then "No."

Burt carefully moves closer and wraps his arms around the boy already wrapped up in himself, Burt fears _'... maybe too much.'_

It takes a long time for Kurt to stop crying and to first lean then fully sink into his dad's arms.

Neither of them is even aware that almost a full hour has passed before either speaks again.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"Finn told you."

"Yes. Finn told me."

"No, I mean, … Finn told you about what I said to him about," Kurt swallows hard before he can talk on, "… about how … what … how it makes me feel, … what Blaine did."

Burt, breath stuttering, murmurs back softly a moment later, Kurt still deep in his arms, "Yes."

"That's why you came now. Right? I mean, I told you last week Rachel would be gone this weekend, and … and …. With Rachel gone you thought …, you thought …," Kurt cannot finish the sentence.

"I could not take that chance, Kurt. I know how much that boy meant … means to you. I know you can't just stop loving someone. And I know, too, that sometimes disappointment, anger, fear and pain turn into self-hate."

"Dad," Kurt says, cuddling closer still with another sob.

"I couldn't take a chance with … with what Dave did, only months ago. I know how … how," Burt has to just breathe for a moment tears welling up in his own eyes, before he can go on, "I remember how you were before Blaine, in Junior Year. ... how empty and lonely you felt before Blaine became your friend, your boyfriend ... later. I know for so long now you have gone to him with everything, and he helped you feel okay again, ... after you lost that school election, after you did not get into NYADA, he was there. He can't be know, I know that, so I thought ... I knew I needed to try. Because I can't stand the idea of you feeling so very alone. After your mom died, you were my reason to fight harder to be happy again, for both of us. Let me be your reason until you find a new one. Something, ... or someone. I can't stand the thought of you feeling like you have lost everything. Because I know it can, it does feel like that when you lose someone you love."

Kurt starts crying heavier again at his father's words bringing back memories Kurt had buried deep in the last week since … Blaine's visit.

"I don't want you to forget that, Kurt, I love you, Carole loves you, so much. You are not alone, even with all those miles between us, you are not alone. You are so loved, so very very much loved."

Burt keeps holding on, holding Kurt close until there are more words than tears inside to be found, "Dad, I … I wouldn't. I won't do that. I won't hurt myself, not like Dave did, not in any other way either, I promise."

"Maybe you should talk to … and I can't believe either I'm saying that, but, maybe you could talk to Dave? About how you feel?"

"Can't do that," Kurt whispers back hesitantly.

"Why not?" Burt asks softly.

"He's, … can't give him false hope, would just be cruel," Kurt mumbles quietly, and Burt just about catches the words.

"Why not?"

"He … Dave, he …, he thinks he is … he thinks he loves me. Did anyway. Not sure about now. ... can't take the risk. I won't hurt him."

'_Okay,'_ Burt really had not seen this coming. "Okay. I mean …. I didn't, I hadn't ... realized."

"I didn't either …, for a long time."

Burt does not really know how to ask, but tries anyway, "How is Dave? Are you two … talking? You're friends, right?"

Kurt nods, grateful for the change of topic, "We skype. He is better. Now that he's out of Ohio."

"Like you," Burt supplies.

"Like me," Kurt says, smile softer but still ... sad.

"And … Blaine? Do you know how he is?"

Just when Kurt thought he could breathe again, but it is so like Burt to care about both of them. "I don't know. We haven't … we didn't talk again after, … after he," _'Damn it, why's this so hard to say,' _Kurt thinks new tears already stinging in his eyes.

"It's fine, we don't have to go there," Burt reassures, rubbing a hand up and down Kurt's right arm.

"I just don't know how … how to talk about it yet."

"Call me when you do? Please? Whatever time."

"Promise."

"Good," Burt's hum is deep and warm.

The quiet is more comfortable this time around, almost relaxed. But inside thoughts keep building and with them realizations, hopes, and worry.

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"Will you, I mean, can you …. Look out for him for me? Make sure he's safe, he is loved too? His parents, they won't … won't care, won't even notice he's … different, sad …. And that Finn doesn't give him a hard time?"

"Promise."

"Good," Kurt echoes his dad's earlier reply, adding a warmly whispered, "Thank you," answered with a single soft hum from Burt.

Kurt falls asleep in his dad's arms that night with the hope that breathing will soon become easier again _'...maybe, maybe already … tomorrow.'_

After a week of Ambien the first real sleep welcomes him_, _wrapped into his father's arms and one thought,_ 'I don't have to be alone.'__  
_

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A/N: I knew I would have to write this story at one point ever since the first moment Kurt had said those words, clearly meant for Blaine alone, to Finn, and the look Finn had on his face of half panic and pure worry, fear even, there is no way he did not tell Burt fairly soon. So yes, that was the motivation for this whole story. Hope you love it!


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